God Slayer
by Fallen Ark Angel
Summary: Mirajane and Laxus; the only time Satan will ever beat God. - One-shot.


God Slayer

It wasn't immediate. Not by any means. At first, he was very much so the jerk she'd expected him to be in a relationship. Distant, apathetic, and, as Elfman would say, all man.

But that was nice too. Different. Mirajane was so used to men fawning over her and practically throwing themselves at her feet. The same way that he was usually treated with women. Not her though. They were equal at that, she figured.

It took months. Many months, in fact. From their first date (which was a stretch to call it that as he'd happen to be out at a restaurant alone, waiting for the Thunder Legion to show up, as she got stood up on a date at the same place. When he noticed, he called her over and, as the Thunder Legion's practice was running over, they ended up not making it and it was just the two of them. Mira considered that their first date. Mainly because they hooked up afterwards…) onward, Laxus had always tried his hardest to seem unimpressed with her.

At times, she even believed it. He would break dates and, early on, they weren't really a couple yet, so he'd still date other women, almost purposely bringing them in her vicinity, just to irk her.

"I don't know why you bother with him," Lisanna would remark a lot. "I mean, I like Laxus, but he sure is a dick sometimes."

"It's nothing serious," she'd always say. "We're just…dating. And he's only like that to get under my skin. So I don't let it bother me."

"Uh-huh."

"I don't. And I can date whoever I want too."

And she did.

For a bit.

Three months in, Laxus had had enough.

"I saw you yesterday," he said when he stopped by her house one morning, early. She was in the middle of fixing breakfast for her siblings before heading off to the guildhall. Still, she only turned, allowing him entrance. "Last night, really. Out. At the park."

"Really?"

"Yeah," he grumbled as he came in. "Who was that guy?"

"Brian."

"Mirajane-"

"What? You asked."

"Why," he hissed, "were you out with Brian?"

"Because he takes me nice places. And he's really funny." She didn't even glance back at him as she made it back to the kitchen. "You should have come over and said hi."

"And why would I do that?"

"I dunno. I would have if I'd seen you."

"Mira-"

"You want an omelet?"

"No, I don't want a fucking omelet. I- Hey!"

She'd turned and swatted at him with a spatula. "Behave."

"What did I-"

"No cursing."

"Mira-"

"And I don't get what you're doing here, Laxus," she went on as she headed back over to the stove. "So I went on a date. And? Did we have plans?"

"No, but-"

"Then what do you want?"

"I don't want you-"

"Laxus! Did you bring Bickslow with you? Or Evergreen? Or Freed? Or…well, I guess that's all your friends. How sad."

Lisanna was in there then, coming into the kitchen as well, no doubt checking on her food. Still, she came to grin at Laxus for some reason.

He wasn't in the mood.

"What were you saying, Laxus?" Mira prompted. "About what you want? Or-"

"Nothing." Turning, he walked passed Lisanna and called over his shoulder, "I don't want you dating other guys, demon."

"You don't control me, Laxus. And besides, we're just dating. We-"

"No. We're not."

"Then what are you doing?" Lisanna ventured, though she kept eyeing her sister. Mirajane just giggled though

"Just stop seeing other men. Now. I mean it."

"Or what?"

"There is no or what. You're doing it."

"That means that you can't date either, Laxus."

"I know what it means, Mirajane." The front door was opened then and, before it was slammed, Laxus just repeated, "I know what it means."

So, with a bunch of giggles between the two Strauss siblings, they knew that it was obvious she'd broken at least one bond that held Laxus Dreyar down. They were now official. Exclusive.

That definitely wasn't something Laxus was used to.

And Mira eased it into him slowly. Didn't jump down his throat the few times she found him talking to other women in the beginning. As long as nothing happened, she wasn't going to force anything. After all, it was a big adjustment.

About two months later though, they went through the next big step.

"What," Bickslow complained as he came into the man's apartment one day, "is all this stuff?"

"What are you gripping about?" Laxus grumbled. He'd invited him and Freed over for a few drinks, but if they were going to be annoying before they even got through the door, well, they could just forget all about that. "Huh?"

"This stuff." Bickslow went over first to the coffee table, which used to be littered with filthy magazines and old cigar butts along with a few beer cans mingled in. Now it housed a neat stack of Sorcerer magazines and a big, orange candle. "I mean, boss, what the hell are these?"

"They're called coasters," Laxus grumbled as the man picked one up. His babies came over to investigate as well, the stupid dolls oohing and awing the whole time. "And they're for…for… Freed?"

"You put your drinks on them," the man said as he took a look around as well. "So you don't leave rings on the coffee table."

"Thank you."

"Why the hell would you care anything about that?" Bickslow was still rather suspicious. "Boss?"

"It's my damn coffee table," he grumbled, going to take a seat on the couch. "If I want to keep it from getting rings on it, then-"

"And what's up with this?"

"It's a pillow, Bickslow." Laxus was only growing more and more annoyed as the seith picked up one of his couch pillows, frowning at it. "And I'd like it if you set it back down."

"The hell does a couch need a pillow for? A couch is a big pillow!"

"Bickslow-"

"And what happened to all the magazines that I'd peruse while I was over?" Bickslow tossed the pillow back down before looking at the coffee table again. Picking one up, he said, "Who the heck wants to read Sorcerer Weekly? Unless you're, like, featured or something boss-"

"No," he grumbled, reaching out to snatch it. "These happen to be the editions where Mirajane has spreads. And I… She made me get rid of the other magazines. If I want… Look, this is just the way it is now, alright?"

"She makes you only look at photos of her?" Hmmm. Snickering then, Bickslow moved to pick up one of the magazines. "I wanna see what exactly-"

"No way!" Laxus jumped up, taking it from him. "Buzz off."

"No fair, boss! Everyone else gets to look. And she's the one that does 'em. Clearly she wants me to look. And if I really wanted, I could just go buy my own magazine."

"Then do that." Laxus sat it back down on the table. "'cause you ain't looking at these ones."

Sigh. "Yes, boss."

"I, for one," Freed spoke up as he took a good look around, "am enjoying what Mirajane has done to the place. It looks much homier than it did before."

"The demon didn't do crap," Laxus grumbled. "What? You think that she tells me what to do or something? Huh? Freed?"

"N-No! I didn't say that. I just-"

"'cause she don't." Laxus took a seat once more. "I like…candles. And Sorcerer Weekly."

"Do you also like fruit?" Bickslow had disappeared off into the kitchen. "'cause I ain't ever seen you with a bowl of fruit. And what's up with your fridge?"

"What do you mean?"

"It's all neat and organized and-"

"Laxus," came an echoing voice then. Great. Freed had made it into the bathroom. "This place is sparkling clean! When did you find the time to do all this?"

"What are you sayin', huh? That it wasn't clean before? That I'm some kinda pig or something? Is that what you're saying, Freed? Huh?"

"N-No, but- Oh. And these towels are quite nice. Bickslow, come look. He has even gotten a new theme going on."

"Theme? You have a themed bathroom now?" Bickslow dashed from the kitchen then to go check it out. "Is it dinosaurs?"

"Not that kind of theme," Freed sighed. "It's the color blue."

"Oh, wow!"

Laxus was seething then, over on the couch. "Would you idiots, knock it off? I-"

"Bedroom, bedroom, bedroom," Bickslow's babies chanted as the man himself, after glancing into bathroom, took off for the place. "Bedroom, bedroom, bedroom."

"Hey!" Laxus got to his feet once more. "Stay out of-"

"Oh, wow, boss." The man couldn't help his snickers. "You got it bad."

"Shut up. And get out of there. I mean it. Now. That's an order!"

But Bickslow just stood in the center of the bedroom, glancing around. On the dresser was a photograph of Mirajane and Laxus as well as one of her by herself. Then the man's usually purple and silky bed sheets were replaced by these blue ones with some sort of white design on the comforter.

"What's up with blue and white, huh?" the seith asked as Freed peeked in as well.

"Mira's hair and eyes," Freed offered up easily. "Am I right, Laxus? Is that what-"

"It's not anything," he grumbled. "The demon just thought I needed new-"

"What's this little thing here? You into stuffed animals?"

"What? No. I just-"

"It's a little dragon," Freed said, coming into the room before going to snatch it off the dresser. Bickslow picked up the one next to it.

"And a little devil. Horns, tail, and all." Grinning over at Laxus, he said, "You're pretty dang cute, boss."

"Give me those!" Laxus went to take them back. "If you get them dirty or something, Mira will flip."

"What else do you got that's new, boss?"

"Nothing! I-"

"Oh, Laxus," Freed said then as, after giving up the stuffed animal, he went over to the closet. "You haven't."

"You're right. I haven't done anything! So the two of you-"

"Haven't done what?" Bickslow turned to glance over as well. "Huh?"

"Huh?" his dolls mimicked. "Huh?"

"He's let her move in."

"What?"

"I have not!" Laxus went to slam his closet door shut. "Get out of here! Now! You're banned from the apartment."

"How come you got so many dresses in there then, boss, if she ain't moved-"

"Because, stupid," he said, frowning at the seith. "She has to wear something after she spends the night, right? So she needs stuff over here for when that happens."

"She gets to stay the whole night? What an honor."

"Shut up, Freed."

"B-But I really meant it. To have that bestowed on you-"

"Man, boss." Bickslow's tongue fell out of his mouth as he cackled some. "You really into this one, huh?"

"Shut up."

"You do not have to be all embarrassed by it," the other guy went on. "I mean, Mirajane Strauss is-"

"I don't fucking get embarrassed. But you know what you're about to get?" Laxus was getting all worked up then, sparks jumping from his body. "Huh?"

"Uh…gone. In fact, I'm gettin' gone right this minute!" And he was. Bickslow was hauling ass out of that apartment, his babies following, none of them even looking back. "Later, boss!"

Freed, however, couldn't take hints as well and just grinned at the man. "Do they have names?"

"Do what have names?" Laxus asked, still a little grouchy as he went to set his plushies back on the dresser. Mirajane had picked them up a couple weeks ago and claimed them to be their babies. When she was over, they usually slept in bed with them. His demon was a little off, but she was a keeper.

"Your little…toys. Or are they supposed to be you and Mira? Or-"

"Freed?"

"Hmmm?"

"Get out. Now."

That wasn't even the worst thing the demon did to him. Not at all. Slowly, she made it very clear in his mind that, over everybody else, she reigned supreme. Even over himself.

This was driven home one night when, somehow, they got caught out in the rain.

Which wasn't that big of a deal for Laxus. He was a lightning mage, after all. Thunderstorms only furthered his power, he figured.

Mirajane though, who was sporting a new dress, was not nearly as happy.

"Laxus," she complained as they made a run for it. "I told you that we shouldn't go out tonight!"

"What are you whinin' about, huh? What? You gonna melt or something?"

"No! But my dress-"

"Demon," he groaned as he slipped off his big coat before moving to hold it over her head. "Just let me-"

"Aw, Laxus," she giggled, calming down some then as he literally got drenched. Stupid woman. "You're so sweet."

"Yeah, yeah. Stop saying it, alright?"

But he was. And, by the eleven month mark, Mirajane was more than a little antsy for their anniversary. Laxus had told her himself that he'd never gotten that far with a girlfriend before. And definitely not been monogamous that long. Part of her was feeling anxious to get it all over with. Maybe even skip celebrating it all together. Then he wouldn't realize and wouldn't be able to have his own little freak out, right? Or plea for freedom?

So she didn't bring it up to him. At all. She honestly was hoping that he'd just forget all about it and do nothing for her. The anniversary of the day when they'd actually went on their first date had been rather awkward in and of itself, though Mirajane didn't consider that their true anniversary for obvious reasons. And Laxus had taken her out to dinner, but she could tell he was just phoning it in.

All the better not to even bring up the real one, when they both agreed to be exclusive, right?

"That's silly," Lucy told her when she mentioned this to her. "Out of all the people I know, you're probably the one that would get the biggest kick out of celebrating an anniversary. So why-"

"It's hard to explain," she told her.

But was it really?

Because wasn't it just easier to have no expectations than to have high ones and be let down?

Only…she wasn't let down. Not at all.

In preparations though for him dropping the ball, she'd made sure not to end up together the night before. That way she could wake up over at her own place, in her own bed, and hopefully keep herself from crying over the fact that he had no idea what date it was.

But when she woke up, before sunrise like always, something was off. Usually she'd go and grab a shower before her siblings woke up (if she gave them a chance, they'd use all the hot water without a second thought), but when she left her room to do so, she could hear someone already up, messing around downstairs. It sounded like Lisanna. Which wouldn't have been odd, had she not been talking to someone else. And considering she could her Elfman snoring all the way from his room, she knew that it wasn't him.

"-narcissistic of him, I think," she heard her sister saying.

"Not at all," came the reply. A man. "See, the boss has these little plushies back at his place, yeah? Of a dragon and a demon? So this big one here is kinda, like, the biggest one he could find. She's gonna love it."

"Gonna love it!"

"What are you doing here, Bickslow?" Mira was quick to head into the living room once she placed the first voice, as well as the five that mimicked it. "And what-"

"Oy! You weren't supposed to get up so early," the man complained as she came into the room to flip on the light. Lisanna was sitting over on the couch, watching the seith as he set up around the room. Sure enough, Freed was there as well and frowned at the sight of the woman.

"Mirajane," he said, bowing his head. "We were just…well… Laxus got called away on a very important job. The Master came to see him last night and needed him for something. But he had us go ahead and get all of your presents over here."

"Yeah. He made us get up super early too," Bickslow complained. "We had to, to lug all this stuff over here. Lucky us, Lisanna's so nice and helped us out."

He had to have bought her at least a dozen bouquets, all of them already in their own vases around the room. Then, sitting on the coffee table, was a cake box with the top open, with the words 'Happy Anniversary' scrawled on it. Then, of course, there was the giant yellow stuffed dragon that Lisanna and Bickslow had been arguing about. She went to look at it first.

"He also bought you a new dress," Freed said, nodding over at the box, which sat on the couch next to Lisanna. "And-"

"What-"

"Well, it's your anniversary, ain't it?" Bickslow cleared his throat then. "He also wanted me to deliver a message."

"What?"

In a much deeper and gruffer tone, the man said, "Hey! Demon! You better have me a present too! And when I get back, we're going to dinner! So you better be off!"

Lisanna clapped. "That was a pretty good Laxus impersonation, Bicks."

He snickered. "Thanks, Lissy, I-"

"Bicks?" Mirajane frowned over at her sister then. "Lissy?"

"Huh?"

"And how did Laxus get in contact with you anyhow, Lisanna? I would have heard it if he came over," she said slowly. Her sister blushed slightly then as Bickslow's tongue went back up into his mouth. "Did you even come home last night? I-"

"Hey, Mira, want me to make one of my babies go into the dragon doll. Huh?" Bickslow was the master of distraction. Err, Mira was just so simple it wasn't hard was probably closer to the truth. "Like it's a real baby?"

"Ooh, yeah!" it was her turn to clap. "Do that!"

"You know," Freed whispered to Lisanna as he went over to her. "You're going to have to tell your sister some time."

"Why?"

"Lisanna-"

"I know, I know," she groaned, watching as her boyfriend made her sister's new dragon fly around the room, crashing into nearly everything. "But she'll act all weird about it, you know?"

"Seeing what she did to Laxus," Freed sighed. "I know exactly what you mean."

And when Laxus got back to town, he took Mirajane to the fanciest of restaurants, even braving riding a train just for her. Then he went out and bought her some jewelry.

"Really, Laxus," she'd told him. "You've spent too much on me already."

"No way, demon. I've always got jewels to spare for you."

And really, there wasn't much resistance in her tone anyhow.

That day, the one where they celebrated their anniversary together finally, was probably the true fall of the empire known as Laxus Dreyar. He was finally able to admit, then, that something was different. That things really were different. And that he'd do everything in his power to keep them as they were.

Which meant, of course, putting up with more of the demon taking over. Not that he'd put up much of a fight to begin with. Slowly though, his apartment went from just being decorated by Mirajane to being full-fledged lived in.

Not that either of them would call it that. Not at first anyhow. But one day, when Mirajane woke up once more at his apartment to realize it had been over a month since she'd even taken a nap in her own bed, she knew something had changed.

And somehow, Laxus came to the same conclusion that morning.

"You off today, demon?" he asked when she stirred on the bed. He was standing over by the closet, getting dressed.

"Mmmm."

"Good." He was putting on one of his purple button-up shirts and, with a sigh, she pushed up to go do it for him. He always liked it when she got the buttons for him. Not to mention, she didn't mind stroking his abs a little while she did. "We got somethin' to do."

"What, dragon?"

"We're moving you in, of course."

"Wh-What?"

He patted her on the head, his usually stoic face sporting a grin a jack-o-lantern would be proud of.

Or Bickslow for that matter.

"I was laying there last night," he said. "Right next to you."

"I remember."

"And I thought about how much I… Well… You stay here a lot now. I mean, Mirajane, you have more stuff in the closet than I do."

"It's not my fault you're a minimalist."

Staring at her, he said, "I know you were waiting for me to ask or something, so I figured I might as well just get it done now."

"No, Lax," she said with a shake of her head. "I wasn't. I honestly never thought that you'd even want me to live with you."

"Silly, demon." He bowed his head then to nuzzle it against hers. Mirajane just blinked up at him. "Silly, silly-"

"Have you been drinking?"

"No."

"Laxus-"

"If you don't want this-"

"Did I say that?"

Staring down at her, he paused for a moment before saying, "I know this is really impulsive, but I have actually thought about it for awhile."

"Really?"

"A few times. But I know that you like living with your siblings. And to give up that house to come stay in my tiny apartment-"

"You can come stay with me then, in the house. You-"

"No," he sighed, shaking his head slightly. 'Your brother and sister live there too and-"

"Then I'll come stay here." She still had her hands resting on his chest and ran them down then before over to his arms. Gripping them gently, she said, "I would live in a box with you if I had to. I just didn't think that you would want this."

"I didn't think you would."

Giggling slightly, she grinned for a second though it fell right after.

"What?" he asked. "Did I say something? Or-"

"Well, your lease and stuff. And now I have to help pay rent-"

"We'll figure it out," he said, leaning down to nuzzle his head against hers again. She was learning to like that. "Demon. I love you."

"Laxus…"

"Don't you know you're supposed to say it back? Huh?"

She just let out a soft breath. "Yeah, I know. I love you too."

Not that it was all smooth sailing from there. Sure, Laxus was in a good mood that morning, but Mirajane knew that wouldn't last long. He rebelled at one point, about three months after she'd moved in. The honeymoon period ended and the realization started to set in. He spoke out against all her rules about staying out all night and drinking so much. About how he wasn't ready to be tied down and that monogamy wasn't for him.

It was, by far, the worst fight they ever had. She wouldn't talk to him for three weeks. Then again, one of those weeks, he wasn't talking to her either. She'd run back home and there was no way that Elfman and Lisanna were letting him anywhere near her.

Bickslow wasn't too pleased with him either, though Laxus, who'd learned of Bickslow and Lisanna's relationship that night when he went to the man for help with the anniversary stuff (she'd been over at his apartment, sleeping in his bed, practically naked, it wasn't that hard to draw conclusions), wasn't in too much shock over that. If Mirajane had changed him, Lisanna had the seith turned into a whole new man.

Not that he didn't need it, anyhow.

Freed, though unhappy to see Mirajane so distraught and Laxus all confused and upset, thought it was his chance.

It was not.

Because after those three weeks, Laxus marched over to Mirajane's house and faced the music. And, after a few unsuccessful attempts to get Elfman and Lisanna to let him in, he arrived one day to find them both out.

But Mira was home.

And didn't want to see him.

"Demon," he groaned as she shut the door in his face. "Look. I brought our babies."

"Go away."

"Mirajane-"

"No, Laxus. Go."

"I don't wanna talk through a door!"

"I don't wanna talk at all."

Growling, he banged on it again. "Just give me a chance here. I brought these damn plushies. Don't you at least want them?"

Well…

But when she opened the door to take her stuffed animals back, Laxus forced his way into the house.

"Hey-"

"I can't believe you fell for that," he grumbled as she just slammed the door behind him. He knew too that she couldn't be that pissed if she wasn't going to just throw him out. Though he thought that he was stronger than Mirajane, he'd never actually use any of it against her. So she came at him, she'd easily overpower him. But she didn't. "Demon."

"Stop calling me that. And give me my babies!"

"Here."

She snatched the little dragon and demon with a frown. "And where's the other one?"

"I didn't carry him over here. He's so big!"

"Well, I want him. And all my stuff. You-"

"Mirajane-"

"No. You can't just do this, Laxus."

"Do what? Apologize? Believe me, I can. I just don't very often." He looked off then. "But I'm going to for you. I'm sorry. I…I got drunk. And overwhelmed. I mean-"

"So what? That's an excuse? That-"

"No, it's not. Demon-"

"You think that you can just go out, have sex with whoever you want for three weeks, and then come back to me with some half thought out apology and I'll-"

"I didn't sleep with anyone."

"Bullshit, Laxus."

If Mira was cursing, he knew he was in trouble.

"I didn't."

"I don't believe you. So just go." Turning, she headed off then, no doubt towards her bedroom. "Elf and I are going to go over to the apartment while you're out on a job and get all my stuff. So take one soon please."

"No."

"Goodbye, Laxus."

"Mira, you're not listening! I was mad and angry and… It's a lot, okay? And when I look at myself sometimes and the way that things have changed- Just don't walk away! I'm pourin' out my heart here, you know."

"You're not even taking this seriously."

"I am too." He followed after her. "Mirajane, I…I love you. But sometimes you just… You were talking about having babies and how we were gonna move into a new house and I just… I panicked, alright?"

"Not alright." She was to her bedroom then and shut the door behind her. He just rushed to open it and follow her in. "Laxus-"

"I've missed you so much. I've come over here, looking for you. And every time I go to the bar, you're not working! For two weeks, you haven't worked at all. What's up with that?"

"I took time off."

"Just to avoid me? Are you really that mad?"

She had gone to put her stuffed dolls on the dresser and didn't glance back at him. "You said that you didn't want to be with me anymore. I've done nothing, but give you time and space and I've never forced you into anything. I wasn't the one that made us exclusive. I wasn't the one that asked to move in. I didn't ask for your commitment. I didn't ask for your-"

"Mira…Please…"

"Laxus, stop it. You're-"

"No. I… I can't…be alone anymore."

"You-"

"I get drunk every night and you're not there to rub my stomach and tell me what a bad dragon I've been and the apartment smells like shit again and I woke up the other night to snuggle and you weren't there."

"You don't even like snuggling."

"I know! I hate it. But I know that you like it. And I was all ready to roll over and give you a few snuggles, to make you happy, but you weren't there."

"Yeah, Laxus, because you said that you didn't want me there."

"You don't think I know that? That I don't regret that? Damn it, Mirajane, who the hell else would I be doing this for?" He was trying to get some of his virility back then, sound less weepy. "I'm here for you. For us. I get it, alright? You don't need me. You love me. You like me. We have fun together. But you know that if I popped out of your life right now, you'd be able to go one with life. Fuck if I don't know it. You'll get a guy that takes care of you and doesn't make it so hard to love him and you'll be happy.

"And I want you to be happy. I really want you to be happy. But… I think I can make you happy too. If I didn't, I wouldn't be here. I can, Mira. Really. It'll take work, but the hell have I been doin' for the past year and a half if it wasn't putting in work? And I stumbled. I fucked up. I know. And you can tell me to screw off if you want, I'm not gonna hold you back, but baby, I need you.

"I really do, Mira. I…I… I'll never get someone like you again. All the other women I'm with, they like being able to say that they're with me. They think I'm…I dunno…hot, I guess. And I'm a damn good mage. That's just a given." He knew he was getting a little off track (talking about himself could cause that), and tried to get back to the point. "But they don't…and this sounds stupid, but they don't care about me. Not like you did. You wanted me to be more than what I am. None of them did. They just wanted me to buy them nice things and take them places and were fine when I'd turn around and treat them like shit the next moment. Just because they'd gotten with me.

"Not you though. You tried to make me better. You _did_ make me better. Bad damn it, Mir, I'm not perfect yet. I know. And this just goes to show it, right? Your jobs not done yet. You're not finished with me. You can't be finished with me." Then, taking a deep breath, he came closer before slowly, _very slowly_ getting down on his knees in front of her. Mira just stared down at him in shock.

"L-Laxus," she whispered, blushing. "I… This is just sad. Stop it. You-"

"I am sad! I'm losing you and I don't want to. I made a mistake. A big ass mistake. But I'll do anything to fix it." Damn. There went that masculinity again. Sigh. The things he did for the demon. "I've never gotten down on my knees for a women. For anyone. Begged for something. But damn, Mira…What do you want, baby? Just tell me."

"Laxus-"

"You want a house? I'll get a house. A baby? I'll give you a fucking baby. I'll marry you. I'll buy you a boat. You like boats? I'll put up with my damn motion sickness to take you out on a boat this second if-"

"It's not about what you can give me," she told him then, finally turning to face him. "It's about what you did. You hurt my feelings. You _embarrassed_ me. The whole time that we we've been dating, everyone though that you would do this to me. But I told them that they were wrong. That they were more than wrong about you. That they didn't see you the way that I did. That you didn't want them to. That there was a special side to you that only I got to see. But then you went and ruined it. Really ruined it. You screamed at me, you forced me out of our apartment, you told me that…that… Laxus, you hurt more than my feelings. You broke my trust."

"But I didn't sleep with anyone. Why won't you listen, demon?"

Staring down at him, she said, "Some speech won't just win me back. Being cute or submissive or even making more false promises isn't going to work. You're gonna have to show me that you're sorry. Not just tell me."

"From just one fight?"

"That was more than a fight," she said. "And you know it. We've fought before. We've fought a lot. You were tired of me and wanted me gone."

"Mira-"

"No, Laxus. You did. You wanted to go out, do whatever you wanted, and you didn't want me around while you were doing it."

"I… I thought about it. After you left. And I… It's just different, Mira, for me. I haven't done this before."

"And you think that I don't get attracted to other guys some times?"

"I don't like to think about it, no."

"Laxus-"

"I… I was out. And I was drinking. With Freed. And this woman was… And I just thought…it's not fair. That she was into me and I couldn't even get anything out of it because you were at home waiting for me and I… I was drunk, Mira. I didn't even touch her."

"No, you just came home and bitched me out for happening to be your girlfriend."

"Mirajane-"

"I love you. But I don't like feeling like crap, Laxus."

"I made you feel that way once. Just give me another chance." He was still down on his knees too and damn if that wasn't mortifying. "Do it for the children, Mirajane. And their poor stuffed bodies. You think they can deal with joint custody? Huh?"

He wasn't funny to her then. Not anymore. "Laxus, shut up."

"I-"

"And get up. You-"

"I don't want to get up." And then, leaning forwards, he rested his head against her stomach, tossing his arms around her. Her dress felt soft against his cheek. He'd never been in that position before. Hmmm. "And I damn sure don't want to give up. So I'm not going to. If you want me to prove myself, fine. I will. I'm not going away, Mira. Not as long as I know I can do this. And I do. I can. And if I have to prove it to you, I will. I can make you so happy, baby. If you would just give me another chance. I-"

"Shhh." With a sigh she moved to rack her fingers through his blond locks. "Shhh."

"I love you."

"I know."

"I…I… I've never talked this much all at once. I'm kinda out of things to say."

"That's okay."

"…So are you coming back home?"

"No."

"What?" He tilted his head up then to look at her. "Mirajane-"

"Not today." She wiggled free of him and, feeling rather foolish, he got slowly back to his feet. "But thank you."

"Wha-"

"I told you," she said as she went to go open her bedroom door. "It's a process."

"Mirajane-"

"Goodbye, Laxus. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

He didn't want to go. At all. But…well… He'd gotten something accomplished at least.

"I'll bring the other one over," he said, glancing at her. "Huh? The big dragon? Tomorrow morning?"

"'kay. See you then."

Apparently, he'd forgotten how hard it had been to get the demon to love him in the first place. He hadn't even been trying back then. He'd just been…him. And slowly, she'd changed him. Now, as the new guy he was, he was finding that getting her to trust him was no easy feat.

But he was trying. A lot. He stopped going out all the time with his friends and spent more time with her. A rededication, he figured. He couldn't live without Mirajane. Not anymore. So he wasn't doing anything to risk losing her.

It was his life on the line after all.

And Mira wasn't that hard on him. She just…was apprehensive. In those three weeks, she had slowly begun to come to terms with the end of their relationship. It'd always been in the back of her mind, anyhow, that it could come crashing down around them. Every other relationship she'd had ended, after all. Why should theirs be so different?

Because it was them. That's what Laxus thought. Theirs was different because it was meant to be. It was divine. He just didn't need Mira or just want her. He…appreciated her. She was really something. Special. He'd never seen someone care so much about those around them. Someone who'd had so much darkness and yet been able to turn it all to light. She was almost angelic.

But, of course, Satan was the most beautiful angel of all.

It took another month before Mirajane really moved back in with him. And man, if Laxus wasn't on his best behavior after that. She knew it wouldn't last. The backrubs, the flowers, the little stuffed animals that he was picking up all over the place by then. But…she was eating it up while it lasted anyhow.

And when they reached that mark three months later of living together for as long as they had before the big blow up, she held her breath. But…nothing. Laxus didn't even seem antsy. And the forth went by. And their second anniversary.

Things weren't perfect, not in any regard, but they were…nice. And she was starting to get in unmarked territory too. He was officially her longest boyfriend and, well, she hoped he was her last.

Laxus wasn't showing any signs of letting up either. Of getting tired of her. Not loving her. They fought. They'd always fight, she knew. And once, he'd been the one to walk out. But it was only for a night and the next day they talked it out.

She was pretty sure that was the key. Talking things out. If they could get that down, they had a chance.

Oh, and eventually, she did find out about Bickslow and Lisanna. And she was annoying about it. For Laxus too. She drug them all out on dates together with Elfman and Ever and even sometimes, Freed would pretend to just happen to be in the area and show up too. But that was another story for another time.

The point was, as months turned to years and eventually, they both stopped holding their breath and just got used to one another and just…were. Laxus was with the demon. For the long haul. And, though he didn't enjoy every moment of it, he did enjoy her. She became his world. His central focus.

For a little while.

Because eventually, those little dolls just weren't cutting it for her anymore. And, after finally getting married, she also got that baby out of him.

"Mmmm…" Mira sighed on morning as, after getting the whining baby from his crib, she returned to the bed with him. Laxus was mostly awake then and took the boy from her before laying him on his chest to rest some more. "Who'd have thought, huh?"

"Thought what?" he whispered as he stared down at his son. He was getting pretty good at crawling recently and Laxus couldn't wait until after breakfast, when they could go out in the living room and watch him.

"That all this time we've been so concerned with Dragon Slayers and we actually had a God Slayer in our midst."

"You think my boy's gonna be a God Slayer?" Laxus was still making faces down at his baby and hardly listening to her.

"No, dragon," she told him with a giggle as she moved closer, laying a hand on his chest, right next to the baby. That got his attention and made her husband glance at her.

"Then who?"

"Me, of course."

He blinked. "Come again?"

Pushing up slightly, she smiled at him as she said, "You're the Thunder God, aren't you?"

"Demon-"

"If you're not slayed, dragon, I don't know what you are."

She was leaning over for a kiss then and, after he gave it to her, he turned his head down to nuzzle against the boy, Raidyn, pressing a kiss against his little tuff of hair. It was so light at that point that they weren't sure if it was going to stay that way and be like Mirajane's or darken out into a more traditional blond as he got older.

"I'm tellin' you, demon," he mumbled to her. "He's a looker."

"You're changing the subject."

"You think you slayed me?" he asked. "Huh?"

"I know I did."

"I believe you," he sighed as the woman laid back down, snuggling against him. "Mirajane the God Slayer, huh?"

"It's only fitting. I am a demon, after all."

Grinning, he nodded. "After all."


End file.
